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 ^ VIPPUED IIVMGE I. 
 
 ,'j t653 Eost Main Street 
 
 S Rochester, N0W York 14609 USA 
 (716) 482 - 0300 - Phorw 
 (716) 288 -5989 -Fox i:-^^ 
 
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 A TALK 
 
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 • * 
 
 SECOND CANADIAN EDITION. 
 
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 III d«'SQlatioii unrcpiniiiK; 
 nitho\it u hojKj on oarlh to find 
 
 A mirror ill un aiihwoiiiig mihd, 
 Alofk 8oiil8 there are, wlu, little dream 
 
 -J heir daily strife un aHgel'd theme; 
 pr that the rod thvy take so calm, 
 hhall prove in heaven u martyr's pultti.^RKiiLK. 
 
 ".Uhould like to introduce you to enfold friend of 
 , nunc, said Mr. Walton to tlfe new clergyman. "He 
 i« a remarkable iuHtancc of the clearnesH of views and 
 t le c<>nsi8tent prHctiec which a regular and attentive 
 thougN unc(lucaied,ch.m;li.j^oer will acquire. I have 
 moiv rcHpoct^nay, almost reverenee^for old Ani- 
 bitise, though a poor old labouring man. than for 
 almost any one 1 know." 
 
 iMr. Hammond exprrwed bis readiness to become 
 acquainted with oiie of whom biMricnd spoke so 
 hjghly. * 
 
 _"\Vhat say you, Anna and Elizabeth P" said Mr, 
 \\ alton turning to his two daughters. "Suppose we 
 dine early to-morrow, and take Mr. Hammond io the 
 cvemng to see old Ambrbse?** 
 ■ _ The young ladies gladly assented to the proposal, 
 for the good old man was a great iavour^e with them 
 as well as with their father. 
 
 Thr evening was calm and pleasant, wJien the party 
 set out on their walk, according to previous arrange- 
 iiieiit, to see old Ambrose. It was one of those- 
 
f» 
 
 Ol.l) AMIUKIbr. 
 
 ■„l »....•• 
 
 ,MUiou^ niid'Humuur cvcim.gi, ^luch one hImmmI .\ 
 |,..i,r. s. ill .Kvvr i-o.„c t.» ri iIoms liUi- ll.c can. u1. .m;c 
 nia ^.'l.riHiiun, vsluu ihr luat ....a buulcii ul ina^tl 7 . 
 
 lilt? in im^tt. ' 1 . r • 1 •• 
 
 , ••Kll/.uluth nuMl t. II .yon ull alM.ut oumUnu ...I, 
 -nia \!r. W.iUori; 'Tor ..he il wan that Ih^t Unuue 
 ..nmamtcawitl.l.i...." r.lI/alKl!.,I.owfVi.r,iv.iurHt..l 
 that l.rr fatlur wouM rcluic ihc circuiUHtaiitvH. bo 
 
 lie t't'iiliniu-a:— ^ . . ' 1 • 
 
 • "Wo Hr.l knew liiui !>} si^Ut, frotn oh^a-rvinj? lnni 
 ut church, Suiulay aftvr SunUay, aUvayn .ucuin .1..', thu 
 wame plate In the lifih r..NV ..f ll.f uuMW :u-;.^ _ 
 -O, j<m iiKaii Ihc uhl iiwui ^*'ith white hair, na.. 
 Mr, 4lanmu>ii.l, "who xmiuh a wm*-..iK t'h Tum h, m.a 
 ifl HO rcinarkalil> atUiUivc to iho hcIVKC? I hnsc 
 myself hirii .uutli sliuck hy his apiu^i ante, rtn .1 
 iiitniaca to take a» oi-portuiiiiy of iiiakiiii; aiipiaa.- 
 
 tamc wiih him." ■ 
 
 '^^-llUmMm^r «aia ^Tr. Walton. ''For a lot..; 
 
 time, I iiJcr misscil him'lVoiii his aicustou.nl pliu r. 
 'I'luTO hs?>i»s scatta, generally lurori; we can.o uno 
 church; ana if he hni-pcuca to he rather later, xvhi.ir 4 
 ,^aH very seUlom the case— (Uu)U};h, hy the vsa-, Mr, 
 llauuuoml, I wish the cinireh-ckck was more n guhir 
 than it is: it jnitR the eonKr(>i;atit>n out sadly, and *h 
 really a serious cviO-'-howcvcr, if ohl Amhroso 
 happotjca to he later than usua', the old iVe^iueutus ^ 
 of the frcc-s ats us«:d to leave his place lujocittpied, 
 being (piite sure that he would come. At last, I ^ 
 misi^cd hiiu for two Sundays; »o I inciuind whcje U; ' 
 lived, and went to look for him. • - ^ . 
 
 ^ It was a sniall and poor-locking cottage in the 
 outskirts of the town. When I arrived at the door 
 and knocked, no answer was relurned. 1 raisea tlio 
 latch, and entered; stiU no one appealed. The 
 hearth was cold, and the lowtr part i)f the house was 
 :. apparently unoccupied. I gently i-pcni-d (he imu r 
 iloor wliich leil to tho upper part of the cottit^e; and 
 i»n Uslcliio^, I hcaid a voice >\hiv!r\vus lamiruir lo ua ; 
 
 
^. 
 
 
 OLD AMiiUObK. 7 
 
 —it w.iH'Klir.alHtfi rc«<li.,g ||,c. 8crl|Uuri ,, lo il.c ol.l 
 ""•'U «vho lay up,.«r..|itlv on hU iKmh-lHcl. Hi^ 
 U'M.Kh.cr wuH ..,,., Mr.iuK liin Iiva.I, ai.J l,.„ khumU 
 
 tl.o^m.,..n«| (f,o ,„,.^ ,i,„.i,3, ^,^ j,,,.^ ^^.,.^ ^^.^^,,^ .« 
 gitae ili.ir,.H«: ll,v du..aLjvr, Nvho-wa* a wiclo^-, UH.i, 
 u.mblou, Koouttol.c.rTo.k, on acto.u.t uf iht" oKI 
 •"unH ,||.u,H. . llowevrr, it ,,U.u^ca (iud Hmt l.u 
 «houM rcvovc.-." (Mr. VVulton dal not .av M.at it 
 wan ,.,^^r«n.i.ntally 0Hin« to the ki.ul..v.s8 of hi.uMir 
 »«»<I luH ck„j;hu,.v in providing l.in, willi ,Mo,H.r 
 u^vvH.nv^ and nudi.al advi.-c.) "ThiH wa» Ibo 
 wuy, ho .oim-nncd, " in which wo ih.t bican.c 
 ac.,na.n,ul wnh old And.roso. AlUiuanlM I .aw a 
 Kuod deal <if hnn, and liunid hin., as well an hi« liunilv. 
 «0 .nuchax^ my liking, U^t I nrovcd then, to n.y la,.;, 
 
 m.dcMabh.shcdSa.al.,,thc.dauKhtc,-,aHs.,,,c.,i,.l.,,,U.,.t 
 /t Ihc dairy. ()hl An.h.'o.e .Iocs what he can on iho ' 
 W„, and ih.it willingly; but it i8 not mnd,." 
 
 1 he |.a,My Juid hy this lin.e walked aiiont a „,il{. 
 iron, t!ic town aionp ,he n.ain-n.ad, and lh«-n tunud 
 on hy a h,ofpaih which led tinouoh Mi-. Waltons 
 c8tafo. It ^uund plea.s»ntly ah.npr so.ne nieau«.wH hy 
 1,0 s.de oi a «n,all .ticani^haded with ahle,s, nntil .i - 
 brought then to a place whe,o the water wan dannnTd 
 i'lN and fornrcd a ,hu,| of f.vo <.r nix ae.es, the hank. 
 ot wh.th hml been planted with .nueh taste. Thev 
 crossed over a lustie hridges,u,d eanu. in.n.ediatelv Ui " 
 »" ohl <an„.hon.o with xahrfs and n.ullioned windows 
 vvh.eh M,-. Walton had n.a.le his d.i.y. The ohi- 
 aslnonocl <ra,,lon. with its .egniar walks and Uurdvy, 
 ^<l«ed^w,th lK>x, was kept np ^nst as it had been 
 *or„,e|.ly; and a vcnend»Ie n,ulber,y.trce sp.ead iln 
 «lu;doa.o«..d It was i..<loed a ve,y pleasa.lt spo^ 
 
 '"•><"«;i««loldA..,b,oKeseatedonawoo,lenlH-nef, 
 i" Ihe pord., hearing; histv.0 little g.and-ehihhvn read 
 U i.uilio,i ,,nhe aeriptu,e.,aswuH hi. usual habit 
 
 1 
 
OLD ambhose. 
 
 before they went to rcRt The contrast between 
 luth and ag6— the silver locks of the aged man, and 
 
 the curly heads of the children— the calm gravity-^, 
 the former, and the eager alacrity which beamed m the 
 countenances of the latter,— presented a beaut ilul 
 
 ^'Vhe old man rose from his seat, and welcomed the 
 visitors with a respectful bow. '' Good evening, 
 Ambrose," said Mr. Walton; "I have brought a new 
 friend to see you— Mr. Ilanmiond, our new clergyraan.^ ^ 
 
 "i am very glad to make acquaintance with you,'* 
 said the curate,^ holding out his hand to the old man. 
 *'I ought to have done so sooner, for you are one of 
 the most regular of my congregation." 
 
 " God bless you," said old Ambrose; " the clergy 
 have been kind friends to me all my life; and I think . 
 it was a good day when you came amongst us, sir." 
 
 It does not take long fdr good Christian Church- 
 men, whatever may be their difference of station, to 
 become afcquainted with each other. The young 
 curate and the old man were soon on the most friendly 
 terms; and Mr. Walton and the whole party were 
 seated round the ample porch. " I have been telling 
 Mr. Hammond," said he, "how you and Icame to be 
 acquainted, and he is very anxious to hear the rest of 
 
 your history." 
 
 The old man was easily led on to relate to them the 
 few particulars of his life ; and the following is the 
 substance of his simple narrative : — 
 
 ©in StmlJtosc's JQistorjj. 
 
 "My time has passed away in much the same man- 
 ner as that of hundreds of others in my station. I 
 have had many trials, but many more mercies, in my 
 day. I have been a hard-working man from my 
 youth up. Year after year, and day after day, from 
 sunrise to sunset, I have laboured for my bread. My 
 chief pride has been to give my master an honest day's 
 
 
 *:». 
 
*» 
 
 OLD AMBIIOSE. " W.. 9 
 
 work for l,i, wages ; nniV when one day's, work w,» 
 done. „,y eh,of care has be.™ ,„ he »ure of work ,„- 
 morrow. JVJa„y» ,|,e tune.! have not been »,ire how 
 to get n,y daily b„,„,| . butisonithow or other, (jod 
 has always piovided for me. . ' 
 
 "I wa., born at the little village of A-^ !u,t 
 -.he other aide «f the town , Ld I do not k ^w 
 that I eve, was ten n.iles from it e:;ee,,t oikc, when I 
 drove fanner Yolkhanfs famous beast that won the 
 pneeatthe cattle show. My father and mothe I ad 
 four chddrcn, and I was ,he cilest. All the learning 
 ^rZS':7 "' ""^^Sunday-school. We were ta^gU 
 / to read, but_ not to write. The clergyman used to 
 «ake great pains to teach us the Church CateeMsm 
 and tell us the privileges of our baptisn, ; a,td f 
 
 we prayed earnestly, and strove ll trusted in God 
 
 t^^t f:t '" ""Ln """'8'' ^'^ ""'y Gh,^ to 
 FresMcre.n keepu.g his laws (o our lives' end. IIo 
 
 esson, and ask us qucstion»«bcf«rc the eongregation 
 riM.y have left off that custom now in all thechuSr; 
 
 the^ebddren a parents- used to think a good deal 
 
 ''When I was about fourteen I got wihiish and 
 
 hum! ".''"""i" *'"' ?'"" ""^^ "W-m..i"g an I 'aU 
 huntng, and ""U'etimes played truant on SiUKlays • 
 »h,ch hurt n,y father n.ore than any thing, f„rle wa^ 
 Very anx.ous about his children, and took great pals 
 to tram us in good ways. b'<->i pauis 
 
 "1 remember— -indecH T tin.-» ™ » 
 
 -emher-,„ingo„eti ^-rsS^rtrboS^^^ 
 •narmg a hare.^ It was theflrs, and la.l I ever" ,ar«l 
 
 tine thmg; though I know it has wrong, for mv fa- 
 rtaH».ver<i,rg.t.h.lookhegaven,e. 'So^rt^i 
 
JO 
 
 OLD AMiinO'*?^" 
 
 been finnrin«r n linro,' saM lir, * wiven I ordornl you 
 not.* . I wa8 all of a trcinblo, for lie took out a l.irf^e 
 d asp-knife, and opened it, lookinf? at me very sternly. 
 lie pot up and walked out at tlie cottage-door. I 
 could not think what he was p;oing to do; however, 1 
 soon found out, for he came hack with a thickish ash- 
 plant, which he had cut out of tlie garden-hedsf, «"d» 
 taking me by the tolhir, gave me the soundest thrash- 
 ing lever had in my life. *Novv go to bed,' said be, 
 *and 1 will talk to you more about it to-lnorrow.'- 
 
 *' Next day, about the same time, he called me to 
 liim ; and seeing that I was very penitent, he spoke 
 to nie witli great kindneas. ' Ambrose,' said he, ' I 
 am glad to see you ashamed of yourself for what you 
 liave done. It was a very sinful deed. You lutve 
 broken three of God's commandments. You broke 
 the fourth commandment, in not keeping^ the Lord's 
 day holy, but going after your own pleasure ; you 
 broke the fifth commandment, in not honouring and 
 obeying your father; you broke the eighth commaud- 
 ment, which says, *Thou shalt not steal:' the hate 
 you killed belonged to the squire, because it was bre<l 
 Riid fed on hi.^ latid, and he is at great expt^nse tatake 
 care of them. S) that you sinned against your duty 
 to God, and your duty towards j'our neighbour. Let 
 me never hear of your doing t!i€ like again. I pro* 
 inised him that he should nht. * Well, we will talk 
 iioniore about it; I cart assure yout my son, it hurt 
 mc to beat you quite as much as it hurt you to be 
 beaten. It is the first time I ever did so, and I hope 
 it will be the last. Perhaps this beating will save jot\ 
 iVoni being a thief and a poacher.' 
 
 "And so it did: I never poached again. And. 
 often, when I have seen the evil courses which other a 
 have fallen into wbo began first by snaring a hare, and 
 their parents encouraged them, I have thanked (itKl 
 fur giving nu- a g<»od parent, who checked nie at x\\^ 
 ■ iirst. ■ . ;. ■': . ■■ '. ■■■ -..v:- ■..- -■■ ■■: -. ; 
 
 
 i* 
 
OLi) AMJJIUVSl!. 
 
 11 
 
 «» 
 
 
 J 
 
 My father was kitidor tliaii cvorto rnc after war^N 
 atid I soon forgot the beatn.g, though the good cmct^ 
 «f.trc..na.nrd Sooi, after theie happened what I 
 have almiys looked on as the n.ost in.,>ortant event in 
 dl n^h^ The elergyn.an gave out in the ehureh. 
 
 that the bishop would come to the tami of — ! 
 
 m abcmt six^week^^and all the young people were to 
 K« to the ealiedral to be confirmed. I did not very 
 nmeU heed , vat the time, and thought only abo^i^ 
 l^^ymgtiholyday;hut when I got home, my father 
 sa.d to me, Ambrose, this ia a vJly seriou; busil^^ 
 you are gomg to ren^w, in the presence of God, thJ 
 promisc8,and V0W8 wlrich were made for you at your 
 baptism, anxl so secure a continuance of God's bJcss^ 
 ing. I wish you to know thoroughly what vou are 
 gcnng to do. Theelei^man has gi;ea1,o ^"t^n ■ 
 intends to explain all about it to you, evei^ TuesdaJ 
 and Thur^y, at half^past six o'cbcfc'in the ev^ing^ 
 and I would^have yoa gQ^every day without fail, fbr 
 he can teach you more about it than I can.' I was 
 , gorngtotdl my father, that that was^ust the tini^ 
 whenlhad to take honie farmer Yolkham's horsed 
 b^ljepreventoime; ^llvill speak to yourmaste; 
 
 ^ "Farmer Yqlkham readily consented, and let me off 
 ^myy^i^^^^tororan hour earlier, in order 
 that I might clean myself before going to the parson- 
 age. So I went regularly twice a-week, with abouf ' 
 twenty other boys; the girls went on Wednesdays^ 
 Fridays. Some of the boys took it very lightly, and 
 Uiought all they had to do was to say the Cat^Su 
 >y heart ; but God gave me the und^Jstanc^^e: 
 that It was a business of great importance, and I was 
 very anxious to learn thoroughly what it was that I 
 was going to take upon myself: The clergyman went ' 
 ftep by step through the Catechism with uJ, expfain 
 mir everv n«H .f ,.. shewing us tha t w e w^re m ade " 
 
 pod's Children at baptism/and pled-ed by 
 
 out 
 
12 
 
 OLD AMBROSE. 
 
 ■ upohsors to walk according to God*s lawH, and to 
 believe in hina and obey him all tKe days of our life. 
 Then he shewed us what we were to believe, and what 
 we were to do, jis it is summed up in the creed and 
 the commandments, and how we were to seek, by 
 prayer, for God's assistance, without which we cduld 
 do nothing. All thi^ he taught us carefully; and to 
 those who were inattentive, he explained it over and 
 over^'again. I am. sure if any of us did not quite 
 understand it, and perceive the great importance of it, 
 it was not his fault. The day before we went, he bad 
 us all before him at the church, boys and girls as well, 
 and* a good many of the parents came. He told us, 
 that as he had so often questioned us, ^nd was satisfied 
 with our answers, he should not do so again, but would 
 take the opportunity of speaking to us about what we 
 were to do when wc went to the cathedral the next 
 day. He then bade us open our prayer-books, and 
 he went through the confirmation service, shewing us 
 
 "iivherc we were to answer, and how we were to behave 
 ourselves. And then he told us, that though it was 
 tiecessary that we should perform pur parts of the 
 service respectfully and reverently, lyct it was on the 
 frame and disposition of mind in which we renewed 
 our solemn engagement with God, /mat the benefit of 
 
 rcon6rmation mainly depended; and he bade us pray 
 earnestly for God's grace to enable us to do our parts 
 heartily and sincerely. I paid great attention to what 
 he said, for he spoke to us as if we were his own 
 children; and I prayed that night and the next 
 morning more earnestly than I had ever done before. 
 "It was a day I shall never forget as long as I live, 
 because I think that I began to make improvement 
 from that time. The sun shone brightly and cheer- 
 fully as we walked to the town. There was a cart 
 with benches in it, which held about a dozen girls; 
 and they went in it, half &nd half at a time, the rest 
 walking with the school-mistress; the boys went 
 behind with the master. When we got -to the great 
 
 i 
 
 
•■ T 
 
 % 
 
 OLD AMBROSE. 
 
 13 
 
 i 
 
 door of thV cathedral, the clergyman met us very 
 kindly, and ^ed us in with him, and ranged us all in 
 order Ther^ were three or four hundred besides 
 j ourselves, and\a beautiful sight it was. Most of the 
 I boys and girls behaved very well, though some were 
 too much looking about them; but whep the service 
 began, we all listened very attentively. I remember 
 I was sitting near thfe bishop; and when he asked us 
 the question, 'Do ye here, in the presence of God 
 and of the congregation, renew the solemn promise 
 and vow which was made in your name at your 
 baptism, ratifying and confirming the same in your 
 own persons, and acknowledging yourselves bound to 
 believe and do all those things which your godfathers 
 and godmothers then undertook fOr you P* I 
 answered, '/rfd,' so loud that the bishop looked at 
 me, as if he was glad to hear me speak so heartily; 
 and I thought h^e remembered it again when he came 
 to put his hand on my head. I felt very humbled 
 and grateful to God when the bishop blessed me and 
 prayed for me, saying, ^Defend, O Lord, this thy child 
 with thy heavenly grace,'t|)at he may continue thifte for 
 ever, and daily increase in thy Holy Spirit more and 
 more ^ until he come to thy kingdom.* I knew ithat 
 the bishop stood in the place of the apostles, and had 
 a divine commission from God to pronounce his 
 blessing upon his servants. Afterwards, when he 
 went to his throne to address us, you might have 
 heard a pin drop. He explained to us over again, 
 but in more. grave and solemn language than the 
 clergyman, the meaning of what we had Veen doings 
 and the nature of the engagements into which we had 
 now entered for ourselves. He told us that we were 
 now pledged, by our own promise, to keep God's 
 commandments^ and that we must keep them not iri 
 the letter only, but in the spirit. Confirmation, he 
 said, was often a great turning-point in life. If we 
 sincerely prayed to God, and resolved from thenrgfnrf h 
 
 to walk in bis ways, our lives would be satisfactoty 
 
14 
 
 OLD AAIimOi 
 
 \r'- 
 
 
 and full of comfort; wlietficrAc were ricli or poor 
 Bcrvants or mastery it ii.atte/qd not, while (iod ua« 
 with u?, and we were in gooc/hopc of obtaininir ulorv 
 hereafter. But if wc f<,rg</our promises we should 
 f get into bad ways, and c^ow eontinually worse and 
 worse, and be niiaerable hi thia world, and eternally 
 lost in the next / . "^ 
 
 "After this, ho concli^ed by telling us that it would 
 be our high privilege t^ partake of the body and bhmd 
 of Christ our Lord; and he earnestly advised us to 
 begin on the first opportunity, and coniinue it throi^h 
 
 "It 18 more than sixty years since that day ; but I 
 never see the grey spires of the cathedra\i)eering over 
 the hill, but I think on the promises and vows which 
 I made in the presence of God and the congregation 
 a^id fancy I hear again the bishop^s text, 'ContinuJ 
 thou m the things which thou hast learned and hast 
 been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned/ 
 them, and that from a child thou hast known the holy/ 
 Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unti 
 salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus/' 
 P^ '""•*"• ^4, 15.) That day was indeed bless/d 
 by God to my profit. I began to pray both night ahd 
 morning more regularly and earnestly than I had done^ 
 and to think more about what I was doing. 1 went 
 regularly with my father to church, morning and 
 evening; and always attended the Lord'ls supperi— 
 Some of the young fellows about my age laughed at 
 me, and said it was time enough when I jvas an old 
 man to go twice a-day to church, and attend 'the 
 sacrament. But I told them, ^Idid not hiow that I 
 ever should he an old mrni^ and that the bishop, as well 
 
 ^ as the clergyman, had advised us to begin immediately; 
 andj saw no laughing matter in it, fof the best people 
 m^e panrf, aU did 8o.» Thus I used to argue at 
 first; but after a whUe I found asurer argument, from 
 the experience which I had of the benefits of the holy 
 commumon, as weU aa t h e other g crviccs of the 
 
.i^ 
 
 -;• 
 
 J 
 
 "/ 
 
 OLD AMUIIOSI^ 
 
 15 
 
 rinircli. I found tl»nt it J)ro!ip;lit brforo mc^ n lively 
 
 l^meiiilunncc of ail thnt Clirlst the Lord )md done 
 
 y«nd finflcrcd1(^V us; m tlinj v-licn I Avns teniptx^d to 
 
 fin, all these thin|Ts onnie into tny njind, and saved nic 
 
 from the tetnpfrttioii. J\nd ffie more I slinped my life 
 
 neeordinp: to the word of Cod, the happier I always 
 
 was. I felt quite eertain that (Jod'a word was trntli; 
 
 p'td full of hope that he would save nic for the sake of 
 
 his Son Jesus Christ, and make mc holy tluoup;h his 
 
 Spirit. I eame to take preat delight in the prayer4, 
 
 and serviees and prejuhin}]: in the ehurch. I knew 
 
 it was all taken. from the word of (Jod, for the elerpy- 
 
 nian took his teXt from Scripture, and explained it hy 
 
 other texts, proving to us from the Scriptures that 
 
 what he faught Vis was right. I have often thought, 
 
 what should wc poor people do, if tlicre Vfcre no 
 
 parish-church for ua to go to, and no clergyman to 
 
 |each us— what lost, nu8erable, ignorant creatures we 
 
 should be! 
 
 " I remember otice there came a ranting preacher 
 into the parish, at^d a good many people went at fir^t 
 to hear him, and aiiid he'was a finer preacher than the 
 clergyman, and cfiuld preach without a book. l]ut I 
 asked them, 'Who gave him authority to preach ?—^ 
 I know who gave the clergymftn his authority; he was 
 ordained by the bishop, who had received power to 
 ordain regularly down frotn the apostllps; but who this 
 ranter was, or who pave him authirity, I did not 
 know. JSo how could I tell that he would teaeh us 
 any good? Iksidcs, it is a great iin, as St. Paul 
 teaches us, to make divisions in the Church.' So I 
 would not go to hear the Dissenter sit all; and I am 
 very glad I did not, for some of thoso who went 
 hf'camc unsettled, and tot^ to bad and irregular ways. 
 
 "As to worldly affairsj they have gone on much 
 aboiit the same with nie as with other persons oil my 
 class. I have had maiiy trials, but CJod's grace has 
 supported me under them. Wherj I was about thirty, 
 I had as much as twi-nly pounds in the suviugs-bank. 
 
 -'I 
 
16 
 
 Ol,D AMBROSE. 
 
 and, being a Rtrong heulthy Inbourer, I thought I 
 might veniure to marry. Indeed, Miiry and I had u» 
 good as made up our minda five or six years before, 
 but we thought it best to wait till we could furninh 
 ^ our house, ntid begin the world decently'. And great 
 comfort we had together for forty ycofs. Now and 
 then, to be sure, wo were a little pinched; for a 
 young family soon mtis away with any savings. One 
 of the greatest helps we labourers ever had, was when 
 tbe clergyman wrote to Sir John Higland, the lord of 
 the manor, and got the great field next to \h& village, 
 and let it out in quarters of acres to the labourers.^ — 
 Farmer Close, who took to the farm that Lady-day, 
 was very angry about it, and said that we had got the 
 heat bit of pasture on the farm. However, he was 
 reconciled afterwards, when he found what a difference 
 it made in the poor-rates. After this,. I always used 
 to have thirty strike of potatoes or so, and two flitches 
 of bacon, to begin th^. winter with. Besides, it was a 
 nice place for the ctni^ren to go and work in, and 
 learn how to do something for themselves; and I 
 observed that several labourers, who before went to 
 the beer-shop for want of something to do, took to 
 work in their gardens instead. So it was a good 
 thing in many ways. 
 
 "I think I was hardest pinched one time, when 
 Mary was put to bed witlj her seventh child. We 
 were obliged to hire a girl to take care of the children, 
 and it was very difficult to get food enough for them 
 all, for it was a bad potatoe year, and 1 was out of 
 work. However, when Mai^ Went to be churched, 
 the clergyman ^aw how pale she looked, and after- 
 wards came to inquire about us; and when he found 
 how badly we wt^e off, he sent us that day a qiiartern 
 loaf of bread, an4 went and told the squfre, and the 
 squire came and isaw us too, and he thought it was 
 time we^had relief from the parish. But I told hihV 
 I never had gone to the parish, and did not like doing 
 so, if I could possibly help it. Not that I was too 
 
 I 
 
 
 ■./• 
 
OLD AMBROSE. 
 
 17 
 
 proud, »»ut I thotigbt it my duty to keep off as long m 
 1 tM)uid. And the »quire Raid I wuh (luitc right, and 
 he would rtud a job lor ujc to do. So he set me to 
 dig Ji pbuitati<)n,»iid gave nie twelve nhillingH a- week; 
 iicMidcM which, thr lady sent a hirge ean oCnoup eveiy 
 other day for the ehihht-n. So I got througli that 
 winter very well; and I have always found, through 
 life, that when I hayc been worat off, God has rained 
 up a friend to help nie. 
 
 "JJut poverty is a light atflietion, in eompariMon 
 with some which poor and rich alike are called on to 
 endure. Great as are the coniforta and blessings of 
 donrestic love, it is also the occasion of heaviest 
 sorrow. The parents of a numerous offspring must 
 expect to mourn for some taken early from them, and 
 to grieve for others who, notwithstanding their greatest 
 care, do not come up to their fond hopes. I had a 
 line brave boy — all that father could wish— he was 
 the eldest of them all, and an exatnple to the rest of 
 all that was good, and obedient,* fnd loving. I sent 
 him to the day-school in the parwh, and, with some 
 trouble, kept him there when he might have been 
 , doing something to earn his bread ; but I wished him 
 to have the advantage of more learning than his 
 father, as. the^tiuies seemed to require it. lie was 
 the best boy at the school, and often brought ITonic 
 books given him by the master as rewards^ or boirowed 
 from the school-library, which he would read to his 
 mother and me on the winter evenings. Perhaps we 
 set our minds too strongly on him, and were too much 
 lifted up by the promise which he gave. God saw 
 that it was best to part us: best for him, because he 
 was fit for a better place ; and best for us, lest pur too 
 great fondness migj^draw our hearts away from God. 
 But we have no right to inquire too currously into the 
 cause of God's dispensations; it is enough for us to 
 bow to his will. One d% our dear boy, the pride of 
 
 our hearts, who had gone forth in the iiiorning full of 
 health and life, w«s borne home a mangled lifeless 
 
^ 
 * 
 
 Id 
 
 I ^^ill luH dw» II on tiiu 
 
 OLD AMUUOSE. 
 
 nicHth a fftrf-wluil,-^ 
 
 ill luM 
 
 «rjiv<; with 
 
 to the will of(;„(| 
 
 
 bowed 
 
 III! 
 
 in liubiJiiHHioii 
 
 Hiid 
 
 Hut «od haw (it to chnHten iir nRaiii, tl.. 
 niij; of tlioHc wlioni wtr loved hot. VN 
 
 iim.gl.ttrr, coMu'ly and inodtHt ; «he 
 
 '•rough llie 
 (' had a 
 
 wn« the 
 
 .11, 1, r ,l„t,(ul sen ICO. I„ „n oyil l,„ur, hIio r.-.civul 
 I- -''I--.. oCouc .>C.lK. ^.,u,|» of >lK. vi L . . 
 
 ■ ,V, I i ■. .' ""iWjkcJ hi, careless m„„iv |„„|, 
 
 PMuk... 6,0 I thought It beeaiuc ,„„ „s a fmher i„ bi.l 
 hu,„,„,„h lo.,k ,„..re eaalullv iu>„ |.is ehura ter Ui;. 
 .l-c agrce.1 to ,„arr, hi,,,. N„ ,..„.,, , .,,,t ,' , 
 
 II««IMT ho w«8 aware of ,„y (ho,ighl», aiKl k„ow 
 tliul, „,uth UH Su.a,„ml, loved him 1,. i n 
 mnyUl« without l,er father" em, L, 4 '"'^^' 
 r..«...ar., .„ chureh. a,,.. b^'irtV 1 o'lrr 
 
 of .ri.gulareoiiduct, he was heartily «,n.vf„ru AJl 
 
 U.IU„I tl t|,(,,,^rh she lltJVtT eoHU.luiiK.a tt-.ij 
 
 ii^it oil- j.oii,jr lo chuuh, whiuj iv-ili a 
 
 sp i iil.s. fi,Ht, I 
 
 T?; 
 
 I4i>. 
 
 buic isigu vi' 
 
 ^ 
 
WW^f^' 
 
 " '^'■'.''"^•f^yS'f^'^r- 
 
 • I««iti lii'iii 
 tibiJiiiiMioM 
 
 V limi H 
 tluj Vlly 
 tr ill the 
 outcd oil 
 liuldtiu J 
 vin-iil im 
 rtct'ivcd 
 Ko. To 
 i ill liliii. 
 1 l<> K>\e 
 
 it.V ItM.Ii, 
 
 oi" wil.i 
 r to bi.l 
 r beioH> 
 Ci eoul<l 
 I a true 
 t-si liio, 
 
 i lilJtW 
 
 I never 
 e came 
 
 guilty 
 
 • All 
 would 
 •11 over 
 
 I Iicau t 
 riingf. 
 n well 
 I bioii 
 iisscd, 
 ; and 
 
 T?; 
 
 3» ^'i 
 
 OLD AMUIlOSn. . li 
 
 evil; thru he took to the beer -nhop and had eoin|wii 
 iuii^ and Hlujed out at nighty or came home driiiiK, 
 and abused bin poor wife. He wan even ho unmanly 
 as* to biat her, thimj^h Mhe mum all meekiie.ti and 
 
 pitrenep, and never retnriii d him an ani^iy word. 
 
 VMiat will not poor women hoiiu timeM eminiel Hul 
 , (iod will reeompeiiHe lit r In the rtsuireetion of the 
 ' jiMf. Tbinga wint on Irom had ifo wornc, until one 
 niglit he drove her out of the house, and tibe eame 
 muryed and Hhlveriiig to her (atber 8 eottiiKe. My 
 npiiit wa« greatly moved. I remonstrated wjih him, 
 threatened to go to a imigiHtrate, appealed to his stn: e 
 of duty to (Jod und man, and the promLses he had 
 uiAilv to me bifvwe 1 ga\e my consent ihat he rthouM 
 h.i\e iny daughter, lie was bumbled und ashamed ; 
 anil aflei wards, when h,e naw that poor Susan was 
 dangerously ill from bin bad treatmejit, he beemed 
 rially to fee) it. However, he soon went back to his 
 e\il ways, until at last he wa^> taken up w^a gang of 
 poachers, for^ being concerned in a fray when one <d" 
 the »<(iuiie'8 keepers was killed, and was sintenecd to 
 be transported; indeed, 1 was told he had a near 
 escape uf being hung. After he lell the country, 
 Susan never held up her head again. Partlyfrom ill- 
 treatment, and partly fiom grief, she pined away 
 gradually, and grew weaker and weaker, until an early 
 labour ended her sufferings, and she and her dead 
 infant were buried in one grave. Of all liie afilictiims 
 which I have endured in life, to see my poor meek 
 . daughter's sufferings wu» the greatest. Sadly would 
 Ikt inulher and 1 talk over our bereavement: until 
 iL<>)d's mercy and the dutiful behaviour of our reniain- 
 ing children gradually eflaced the woUnd from our 
 hearts. 
 
 V "And so wc lived on together many more yenrv 
 
 . peaceably and contentedly, until it was time for us to 
 
 part. It is now about seven years sinve niy dear wile 
 
 died; but siie went in stieli liopo and pruie, that, 
 
 dcrply u> 1 fdl her ]l..,s, llUouiihl 1 had no light to 
 
 
 
,' i. 
 
 H-:r:,- 
 
 OLD AMBROSE. 
 
 were 
 
 >'. , .'f 
 
 K^ 
 
 foiitrai'}' to law an wcii uh goHpi'i. oti i ciiiiiu lo iivc 
 with tlit'iii tuuf if^thc town, aud very good tlioy Imve 
 been to inc. 
 
 „l^ "At laat it pleased (iftj to take Sarah's hiiflbaiid, 
 leaving her a widow with three suinli eliildren. Hut 
 (>od gave her health and Htrengtli^ and tthc had pretty 
 regular out-door work, and i got a little now and then. 
 So we managed pretty well, till I was taken ill; ttiid 
 then I do not know what would have become of-uN, if 
 God had not sent Miss Elizabeth and good Mr. 
 Walton to help us. Since then we have been very 
 comfortable and want for nothing. My greatest 
 pleasure is to go to God's house on Sundays, and on 
 week-days after work to hear these children read the 
 bible. They are very good children," said the old 
 man, poylui^hem on the head; "and I often think 
 that, P^ffHuiCLu^ ^^^^ h^^ tluKiigh life, yet, mrith 
 one or JHflHff^ns, F^lld scarcely wish thcni a 
 
 J!^r. Hammond was both pleased and aflTeeted 'liy 
 the godly simplicity of the aged Christian, and t^hook 
 him cordially by the hand, promising to call pi|d. «ee 
 him frequently. ^ t 
 
 "Old Ajnbrosc will remind us," said he, fti tltey 
 walked homewards, "of the words of the Psalniit<t: 
 * I have been young, and now am old, yet never snw I 
 the righteous forsaken, nor his ~ seed begging their 
 bread.'" 
 
 "This is the man,'* said Mr. Walton, -"whom your 
 modern philosoplierswould call a poor ignorant rustic. 
 I never see old Ambrose, whether at his cottage or in 
 
 his seatat church— I never mark his calm, contented 
 eye, and the holy meekness of his demeanour, without 
 
 W 
 
 »; 
 
 •■#* 
 
itcd were 
 
 U AftiT 
 
 iHt doing 
 
 ho |NM>I- 
 
 I kIiouUI 
 ^ : it w>i« 
 ic to live 
 lio^ Imve 
 
 hiiflband, 
 711. Ihit 
 lid pretty 
 ind then, 
 ill; mid 
 
 5 of *IH, if 
 
 ;ood Mr. 
 ►et'ii very 
 greatcHt 
 I, uiid on 
 read the 
 1 the old 
 en think 
 yet, Hfith 
 I them a 
 
 .if" ■ 
 
 ■'■'■ I' ■ ■■ 
 
 scted by 
 
 nd shook. 
 and «ee 
 
 w my 
 
 Naliiiitft: 
 'er 8n\v I 
 ng their 
 
 ibm your 
 it rustic. 
 age or in 
 
 : 
 
 B AMBllOftK. 
 
 
 thinking llmt he will ucenpyATi^ high place amougHt 
 thtt lainti of heavvn. lie' 
 
 •ont? to whom 
 !,ong patU*nc« h«tfc iuch calm coin|K)Huro given. 
 That piiticnoc now doth tcvni » thing of whidb 
 Ilv htith no need.' 
 
 There In \n \m character a hwmblc, yet indepcndetH 
 tone of thought — a •poorneii|of apirit,* — without • 
 particle of meanneaa — a cahH contented nerenity— •« 
 d^ep religious fecfing, diveated of oil the cxcitenM'nt_ 
 of a hcate<l imagination — which if the privilege of 
 one who haa served (>od from bia youth up, and is 
 pnNRlng through a quiet life to a peaceful grave.' 
 
 They pauMod for a while, and walked on without 
 speaking, each of them deeply impresHcd with the 
 ' pimple dignity of the character of bim with whom they 
 had just converged. At last Mr. Walton broke the 
 silence, beginning, as upal, to philosophisei. and 
 unconsciously drawing his lllustratfens from the scene 
 around them. 
 
 "A country Messed, like England, with an Estah- 
 lishcd Church — of course supposing it to be a branch 
 of the true (Church, — is like a fioli in high tillage, 
 which puts up its rich crops.of corrt^* in proportiou to 
 the pains bestowed on it. The character of <W 
 Ambrose is the genuine growth of the English 
 Church, — at least as it exists in ouf rural distritts, 
 for in our large towns it is unable, with its present 
 means, to cope with the population. lUit where the 
 Church has fair play and free development, where its 
 principles are truly carried out, and the population is 
 ttot so dense as to prevent the ordained pastor from 
 coming into contact with every individual within hia 
 fold, there is a continual tendency to the production 
 of intellects m^re or less approaching to that of old 
 Ambrose — loyaJ, faithful, peaceable and intelligent. 
 I \Ma always considered a uational establiahnicnt to 
 
 I 
 
 [>ntente(l 
 , without 
 
 give scope for the most perfect exhibition of the 
 Church of Christv The Church-system is entirely of 
 
oo 
 
 OLD ASfmuiSrE* . 
 
 divine 
 
 origin, ImvJn^ been ostaMisIicd during' (Ijti 
 
 A.... 
 
 tniic of the apostles. It may be allied to the State 
 or not, according to eircumstanees; bcinjr j,, itself 
 perfect when uncstablished, but deficient in means to 
 cope with the entire popuhation. The evils which 
 have, in some eases, resulted from its establishment 
 and connexion witbthe-Siate, are perfectly accidental 
 J he union between Church and State may e.xi^t 
 without the least interfcrciice in each otljcr's func- 
 tions'; and then I conceive the Church to be most 
 perfect and eflicicnt. : Its due oi)eration rests on its 
 apostolic doctrine and discipline. The bishops have 
 received from the apostles divine authority tosupef- 
 intend atid set things in order, and to ordain a 
 continual succession of ministers; the priesfs receive H 
 from them authority to preaeb and to administer the '"' 
 sacraments and ordinantes in local districts or 
 parishes; the deacons are appointed to aid them with 
 tjveir ministry. Thus, Christ being the fbuntain-head, 
 the apostles and ministers of the ,Church are like so 
 many Fills or channels, by which the stream of divine 
 grace is spread over the land. Wheresoever there is 
 ajaek of ministers, especially of any entire order of 
 the ministry, there the land is thirsty and dry — 
 Amongst the Dissenters here in England, and amongst 
 the Presbyterians of Scotland, where thev reject the 
 divinely appointed order of bishops, there i^ an absence 
 of that humble submission to authority, which is so 
 amiable a feature of the Christian eharaeter, rs' 
 developed often in the English Church. . There is a 
 leaning to their own judgment, and an impatience of 
 rQntrol, a want of reverence and godly tear, at variance 
 wuh the character of the lowly Churchman. If I may 
 so speak, there is i>iety without holiness; that is to 
 say, though the understanding is imbued with Chris- 
 tuin truth, yet there is not that thorough sanctilieation 
 of the heart which is attained under a sounder svstcm 
 Corresponding with this spiritual defect, the/e is a 
 political disaflection to civil government; a deuto. 
 
 .t)4A 
 
 t- 
 
}Jfs^.t 
 
 (HVl> AMnUoSK. 
 
 tm'J 
 
 f«e State 
 in itself 
 nioAns to 
 lis wliieli 
 •lishnunt 
 cidcntiil. 
 ay vx'ut 
 r's func- 
 bc most 
 ts on its 
 iips have 
 o supcr- 
 |rdain a 
 J receive; J 
 ister the 
 ricls or 
 em with 
 in-liea(l, 
 like so 
 r divine 
 here is 
 irdcr of 
 dry.— 
 mongst 
 iect the 
 ibscnve 
 h is iso, 
 ier, Rs 
 ?re is a 
 ence of 
 jriance ' 
 'I may 
 it is to 
 Chris-; 
 ieatidn 
 vstcm. 
 e is a 
 deuiOi 
 
 cratic, arrogatit temper; an anxiety to maintain riWitd 
 rather than. to perform duties. All this is quite 
 contrary to that holy humble frame of mind which is 
 the characteristic of genuine members of the Church 
 ot Christ. Long may England bo blessed with her 
 Apostohc Church, which trains up souls like that of 
 the aged man, with whom it has been our privilege to 
 converse. Yea, rather niay her children, who know 
 her value, and eiyoy her privileges, use their best 
 ciideavours to extend her holy ministrations to evcM-yr 
 conier of the land. Then may we hope that Cod 
 wiU contmue to bless us, and pour liis benefits upon" 
 us; and 'that we may be his people, and he may be 
 our God. '• ^ 
 
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